EDISTO BEACH PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION
P.O. Box 147
Edisto Island, SC 29438
December 20, 2009
www.ebpoa.org
Newsletter
2009 Election for Town Council
The results are as follows: Babe Hutto 322, Thomas Mann 318, Jane Darby 147. Write in: Archie Johnston 4, Linda Tilby 1. In the two forums, the winning candidates agreed on several things: They love Edisto Beach, they want better water and are open to bringing it from Charleston County via a pipeline down Highway 174, Town employees need instruction on public relations. The new councilmen take office in January. You may recall that the pipeline idea was floated years ago and strenuously opposed by the people on the Island as unnecessary and a sure facilitator of rampant development on the Island.
Retiring are Councilmen Archie Johnston and Mickey Blancett, both members of the EBPOA and Archie is a member of the Board and a past President. Mickey is a past Board member. These councilmen along with past Councilman Joe Bresnahan, Mayor Lyons and past Council lady Jane Darby have been instrumental in enacting ordinances which protect Edisto Beach’s family beach ambiance. We owe them a large debt of gratitude.
Council Meeting Dissention
Sharon Ethridge, who claims to represent a large portion of the Edisto Beach population, has been regularly calling for Mayor Lyon’s resignation in the public comment section of the Council meetings. She indicates that she will continue to do so at future meetings.
You are urged to attend the Council meetings, take part in the comment section and express your opinion.
Bell Property
Town Council has approved a new development plan which includes a stage, covered pavilion and rest rooms. The renovation of the four bay garage into a farmers market and art display venue has been completed and a pictorial exhibit of Edisto Beach’s history is under development. This exhibit is to be a permanent fixture in the “Heritage Center” as the building has been named. The work on rehabilitation of the pier has been finished but the pier is not yet open to the public. Any accommodation to the users of the launching ramp has been eliminated. See www.ebpoa.org for a drawing of the plan.
Bridges on Highway 174
SCDOT has revealed plans to replace the bridges over Sand Creek, Russell Creek and Store creek by building new bridges alongside the old ones. Preliminary work is underway. Many have submitted suggestions to DOT that the old bridges be used as scenic overlooks and fishing piers. The center sections of the bridges would be removed and the stubs of the bridges on either side would be utilized similar to the pier at the Dawhoo landing. SCDOT appeared to be receptive to the idea if another agency could be found to provide the required improvements and maintenance.
Highway 174 Scenic Byway
Federal designation of highway 174 as a Federal Scenic Byway has been secured through the efforts of the Edisto Island Open Land Trust. Management of the Byway activities has been given to the Edisto Island Preservation Alliance (EIPA) which has formed the Edisto Island National Scenic Byway Committee with broad representation across the island. One of the first activities is to work with SCDOT and Charleston County Parks and Recreation to utilize the stubs of the abandoned bridges on 174 as fishing piers, scenic overlook parking areas, and possibly canoe/kayak launching ramps. Further improvements might consist of protective railings and benches. The danger to fishermen hanging over the railings will be eliminated to the relief of motorists and fishermen alike. There are only three other Scenic Byways in the state: Ashley River Road, Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway, Savannah River Scenic Byway. This puts Hwy 174 in the company of the Blue Ridge Parkway and other national treasures and will make it hard to negatively impact this road. This is a Big Deal for Edisto and we thank Marion Brailsford and her staff for this accomplishment. See www.byways.org and click on “Browse America’s Byways” for more information.
Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area
Mrs. Pepper’s Botany Bay Plantation has passed to the SC Department of Natural Resources by bequest. https://www.dnr.sc.gov/mlands/managedland?p_id=57 The Area, consisting of over 4,500 acres with a long beach and creek exposure, is being administered by resident DNR employees and a contingent of volunteers from the Island numbering over 80. These volunteers help maintain and improve the property and man the entrance kiosk to register visitors. To learn more or to volunteer to help visit http://www.preserveedisto.org/Botany%20Bay/botanybayvolunteers.html. The Area has proven to be immensely popular with over 64,000 visitors since it opened this summer. This popularity justifies the large volunteer force which DNR calls the most significant in the state. The site contains the ruins of two of the island’s historic plantation homes, an intact antebellum ice house, and a kayak/canoe launching ramp in addition to incomparable marsh and ocean views. The Area is managed for wildlife forage and during hunting season deer and dove hunts are scheduled. The Area is closed to tourists during these hunts and a sign at the entrance to Botany Bay Road tells when Area is closed for that purpose. This is another Big Deal for Edisto and you really should see it. The hardware store has the schedule of closings or you can access them on line at http:www.preserveedisto.org/Botany%20Bay/BotanybayWMA.html. The Area is closed Tuesdays for maintenance.
Town Hall
Mickey and Archie, at their last meeting as members of Town Council in December, praised the current staff at Town hall as uniformly competent and helpful and the best in their experience with Edisto Beach. Our new Administrator, Iris Hill, has generated job descriptions and job appraisal forms for each employee position and brings a high degree of professionalism to our Town. We are fortunate to have this dedicated staff.
Fishing Pier at the Pavilion
The status of the pier is questionable at present. The property was up for a tax sale recently but the taxes were paid by someone, and the sale notice came down the same day it went up. The Hoys have not signed the pier management agreement with the Town which is a condition of the building permit.
Steedley Property adjacent to the Horizon station on Edisto Island. This property was put up for rezoning from AGR to CC, Community Commercial. The Steedleys declined to state the use to which the rezoned property would be put and on that basis the Edisto Island Community Association, the EIPA and members of the EBPOA opposed the rezoning. Charleston County Council ultimately rejected the rezoning unanimously.
Club 29-F, the building at the entrance to Steamboat Landing Road, applied for an alcohol license in connection with opening as a restaurant/lounge operating from 11 am to 2 am. On Dec. 7th the applicant applied to the Charleston County Board of Zoning for a variance to operate a business selling alcoholic beverages in a Rural Commercial zone. This variance was opposed by the groups mentioned above on the grounds of disturbances occurring at similar clubs, dangers to the motoring public and proximity to Jane Edwards School. The variance was denied unanimously.
Property Taxes
Normally, the tax statements are out in October but the County has been experiencing big trouble with new software and statements have had errors and most have been delayed until this month. Some have seen large increases in taxes which appear to be erroneous. In 2006 the property tax law was changed to substitute a one cent sales tax for the school operating tax for primary residences. The same year a constitutional amendment was passed limiting assessment increases to 15% in the 5-year assessment cycle. The EBPOA had a large hand in passing these laws. The Colleton County millage only went up 0.81 mills and if the assessment was limited to 15% the tax bill could have only gone up by a fraction over 15% by law. Millage increases are limited to inflation percentage plus percentage increase in population. Reassessment has not been done for most taxpayers although this is a reassessment year. County Council is resisting reassessment because property values are down in the housing recession. If your assessment is up or if your taxes are up appreciably without reassessment, you should question the tax bill with the County Treasurer at 843-549-1213. We will be urging Co. Council to stick to the established 5-year reassessment cycle to reflect a decline in property values to be consistent with the increases in assessment we have experienced in the past. I would like to hear from you about this year’s tax notice if it is not in line with expectations according to the law.
Landfill
A landfill for construction waste is being proposed north of Hwy. 17 opposite Parkers Ferry Rd. This location is less than a mile from the Edisto River and the permit would allow it to be 200 ft high. The proposal is being sold as part of a recycling center operation to be established in North Charleston to dispose of the construction component of the waste that cannot be recycled. However, there is an existing landfill in the Ashley Phosphate area that has capacity for the foreseeable future. This would seem to be a much more efficient disposal destination rather than trucking waste 25 miles down Hwy. 17. The Edisto group mentioned above and many area residents are opposing this landfill but members of Charleston County Council are split on approving the landfill. Approval would require changing the recently approved Comprehensive Plan and rezoning the area not to mention the DHEC permit requirement. This process could be lengthy and there are hopes that reason will prevail. However, Charleston County has closed the incinerator in North Charleston and the Bees Ferry landfill is about full so the Council is feeling a need to do something about waste and may act precipitously.
Covered Signs on Palmetto Blvd.
Resurfacing work on Palmetto Blvd., some sidewalk repair and swales along the two lane portion are scheduled for the near future.
EBPOA Website: Visit the website for news and all Council and committee minutes.
Email Addresses: If you have changed your address please advise me of the new one.
David C. Cannon, President
davidccannon@bellsouth.net
843-869-3119
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